I've been involved in a spirited discussion about the positive benefits of eating low/lower carb on another forum. I thought you might enjoy checking out some of the following articles. I think many of them are available online- the rest you should be able to read in the public library through Medline. In some circles, the dietary lifestyles advocated by Drs. Bernstein and Atkins are considered to be on the fringe. It helps to have convincing scientific evidence that supports their work. I plan to share this with my doctor when I go for my next evaluation.

There's a good trail of these studies that go back to the 70's- I was trying to stick to more current titles in my argument. I find it just amazing how people can continue to live with their heads buried in the sand despite a growing body of evidence. As for the ADA, a good percentage of their funding comes from drug companies- it's in their best interest to keep us addicted. I'm sure that's cynical-but they do not seem to be interested in advertising and pushing low/lower carb eating and exercise as a good solution to sugar control. sandy

I just want to live happily ever after-every now and then. Jimmy Buffett

Fantastic, Sandy, thanks a million for putting that list together. I'm taking the low-carb side in a Diabetes UK debate next month here in Edinburgh and I'll certainly take a look at as many of those references as I can before then. It should be quite spirited as well!

I think a large part of the suspicion surrounding the low-carb idea is as a result of the lack of coverage our side of the argument is given in the media. The low-fat myth is perpetrated wherever you seem to look, to the point at which our argument seems almost counter-intuitive. Even on this forum I found a lot of suspicion about it when I first joined. A lot less these days though, so perhaps our time will come!

I hope the articles help you make your point- there are plenty of additional references in the citations sections too.

I can remember that when Atkins popularized low carbing back in the 70's, several people died from kidney complications. The earliest Atkins diet was virtually carb free- esp in the Induction phase (I think I may still have a copy of his first book)- so the diet received a lot of negative press. I 'd be willing to wager that those folks had underlying kidney problems that contributed to their untimely demise- but the Atkins diet was blamed. To this day- if you mention that you are low carbing- people will talk about how you're ruining your kidneys.

Around the same time- fats and eggs became the devil- so low fat dieting became all the rage- despite the fact that Mickey D's and the other fast food places were on the rise. (Do as I say, not as I do...?)

I find that many people in other diabetes arenas are almost violently opposed to low carbing, consider Bernstein and Atkins to be the brothers of the devil, and are willing to spend endless hours telling me how misguided I am and I'm not even close to being a low carber by Bernstein's definition. I'm bringing some of these articles to my next support group meeting. Several people are interesting in reducing their carbs but the CDE has them convinced that if they do so- the next step is dialysis. The fact that they are maxxed out on their orals and have to keep upping their insulin is irrelevant. She's got all the info about new drugs coming down the pipeline, recipes that average 45-60 carbs per serving ( holiday specials!), and samples of fake sugars- but nothing about exercise (the older ladies don't like it) and eating better. It just incites me...

sandyI just want to live happily ever after-every now and then. Jimmy Buffett

Why would low carb harm us? Has anyone ever figured out how the Inuit peoples survived (THRIVED!) all those tens of thousands of years on whale blubber and seal meat? Sometimes the whole 'debate' seems ridiculous. But there are more than the ADA and drug companies involved. There are whole agribusiness lobbies who are intent on us thinking we need grains to survive. Wheat and corn are big business and the companies that support them include chemical fertilizer companies and a whole network of farming related businesses.

Since I started eating this way last April I've noticed how many different foodstuffs in the store that I no longer purchase. I'm having pickles, olives, canned veggies, canned meats, fresh meats and veggies as well as fruits, but there are whole aisles that I totally skip. I have some rice & pasta in the house for when family visits or when I make a bit for hubby but I'm totally passing up all the cereals, crackers, breads, potatoes, snacks and especially soda... all of that. Makes grocery shopping really quick!

The occasional stop at Mickey D's while traveling is really funny. I get two $1 double cheeseburgers, toss the buns and tear the meat & cheese up over a side salad. Inexpensive meal without the bread. The funny thing is how heavy the bag is when I throw away all the bread. Got me thinking of how much of the food that is sold to us is mostly carb based. Restaurants offering 'endless pasta and bread sticks' with a meal... And don't even get me started on the sugared drinks and sugared cereals.~ Jeannie, Forum Moderator/Diabetes & Fibromyalgia~Please remember that 50% of all doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class! Yours may be one of them...=================="People are like stained glass windows: They sparkle and shine when the sun's out, butwhen the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within."- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Didn't mean to get you all riled up I absolutely agree with you on the food/carb thing- do you know how difficult it is to find non-carb + non meat protein sources when you travel? I do- lol

I have never used processed foods and usually do my shopping at farmer's markets (in Rochester, NY- we had a year round public market), and co-ops but I hit the grocery chains for paper goods and soaps etc. I am always totally amazed at the garbage people put in their carts- I can't cut coupons because my foods are almost never featured- and I never had the money or desire to overpay for a box of cookies- when those lunchables came out- I thanked God every night that there was no vegetarian option bec my kids wanted to eat from the cute boxes like their friends-

There is a lot of bias against low carb diets- a lot of unfounded 'facts' that worked their way into the media, myths that get perpetrated - doctors who advise their patients against low carbing- CDEs who preach the ADA way- it's all 'he said-she said' unless you are armed with evidence that the listener will agree is valid. It's not me and how lower carbing has helped me control my numbers, it's me + the experts and the scientific evidence that takes the wind out of their sails. I challenged the CDE moderator to bring her credible evidence to our discussion- we'll see if she found something. I looked and didn't find but 1 or 2 older studies that told how the magic 130 gram/day of carb number was derived- I'll bet she comes with magazine articles and textbooks (I'm hoping! I love a great discussion)

sandyI just want to live happily ever after-every now and then. Jimmy Buffett

My son in law gives me his old Scientific American magazines and the stuff in the issue I'm reading is enough to give you nightmares. Peeps in some less developed countries are suffering from malnutrition even though they are obese. Popular culture has them convinced that they should be 'modern' and consume Western style sodas, snack foods and corn syrup sweetened treats in place of their native fish, beans, vegetables and fruits. Some of these peoples have evolved over tens of thousands of years on their native diet and are unable to live well on partially hydrogenated whatsis in combination with sodium bizoomerate.

It's one thing for us, with our fortified cereals and wheat products, vitamin fortified milk products, not to mention lots of over the counter vitamins available to be able to survive in spite of our poor food choices in this country. But those other countries are giving up good, natural foods native to their country to import our junk food. And let's face it, junk food is big business! So now we are back to square one.

One of the women who wrote an article for the S.A. mag wrote something very profound. She said that our grocery stores are not there to help us with our nutritional needs. They are in business to sell us as much food as possible. They have tons of market research in their court to help them get to us with everything from color, odors, music, lighting, shelf placement and last minute checkout temptations. It's the reason that I love to shop at Aldis and Save-a-Lot. Their stores are tiny and the choices are very limited. Tomato juice, one kind, one size can... Buy it or don't... Fewer decisions, less money spent, fast shopping!~ Jeannie, Forum Moderator/Diabetes & Fibromyalgia~Please remember that 50% of all doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class! Yours may be one of them...=================="People are like stained glass windows: They sparkle and shine when the sun's out, butwhen the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within."- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross